War Zone is an episode in the 3rd Season of Walker, Texas Ranger; it aired February 11, 1995. During its original airing, the entirety of the episode lasted for two hours, but in syndication, this is a two-part episode. It serves as the 16th and 17th episodes of the show's third season.
When Walker's close friend and former partner, Logan Reno, is killed during a series of high-profile robberies committed by men in clown masks, Walker tries to help his children cope with their loss, all the while pursuing the people responsible.
Tropes seen overall:
- Big Bad Ensemble: Mitch Bolton and Burt Mueller.
- From Camouflage to Criminal: The prime suspect of Logan's murder, Mitch Bolton, held the rank of a captain in the US Army until he was dishonorably discharged on suspicion of torturing prisoners. Also lampshaded by Walker, Trivette, Alex and Mueller:Trivette: That's a bad boy!
Alex: Hard to believe he was ever on Special Forces.
Walker: Just like a bad cop.
Trivette: [prints up Bolton's mugshot] I'll put this out on a citywide bulletin.
Walker: We gotta find out who the inside man is on this. Why don't you take this over to Sundance Security? I'll talk to Mueller at Prevent.
(Walker shows Mueller Bolton's mugshot)
Mueller: No, sir, this is a bad hombre. I never saw him before in my life, and a fellow like this could never get mixed up with my outfit. - Hanging Around: Bolton kills Clete Gibson this way, and rigs his noose with a fishing line that will set off a bomb in his house the moment it is cut.Walker: When he goes down, this place is going up, so, let's run like hell. On three.
Trivette: On three?
Walker: Ready? One, two, three!
(the bomb goes off and the house and Gibson's car are obliterated)
Walker: You okay?
Trivette: Did you say two or three?
Walker: Three for you, two for me! - Inside Job: Burt Mueller is the inside man!
- Like Father, Like Son: With her father having been a Texas Ranger all his life, Dana pursues the profession of law enforcement herself on the Texas Highway Patrol and likely aspires to be a Ranger herself. Keith also isn't immune to this, either, having learned a few martial arts skills from his father before his death.
- Missing Mom and Disappeared Dad: Dana and Keith Reno lost both their parents so very young. Several years earlier, their mother, Molly, passed away, and now, their father, Logan would be killed in the line of duty while trying to stop one of Mitch Bolton's robberies.
- Multi-Part Episode: This is a two-part episode in syndication.
- Oh, Crap!: Walker has this when he notices the fishing line tethering to the bomb in Clete Gibson's house.
- Outrun the Fireball: Walker and Trivette find that Clete Gibson's body is booby-trapped with a bomb and have to quickly flee the house before they are enveloped in the explosion. The two Rangers barely escaped.
- Promotion to Parent: Dana becomes the legal guardian for her younger brother, Keith, after Logan is killed by Mitch Bolton, as the two lost their mother several years earlier.
- Stuff Blowing Up:
- Near the end of Part 1, Clete Gibson's house is booby-trapped with a bomb. When Walker and Trivette find his dead body hanging in his living room, Trivette cuts him down, only for Walker to notice the fishing line tethering to the bomb about to go off the minute Gibson's body drops to the floor. The two Rangers quickly let go of Gibson's body and flee the house in time before the bomb goes off. The house, and Gibson's car, are completely obliterated as a result.
- Near the end of Part 2, Trivette prepares a rocket launcher to blow up Mitch Bolton's getaway vehicle to keep the gang from escaping. Mere seconds before the sting is carried out, Walker summons the rest of the DPS for backup. As soon as DPS members makes their way to Walker and Trivette's location, Trivette then blows up the car.
- Special Guest: Tim Thomerson as Mitch Bolton, Buck Taylor as Texas Ranger Logan Reno, Susan Diol as Texas State Trooper Dana Reno, Ian Bohen as Keith Reno and Wilford Brimley as Burt Mueller.
- Talking to the Dead:Walker: I lost my parents when I was a young boy, but that doesn't stop me from talking to them, and they're pretty good listeners, too.
Tropes seen in Part 1:
- 21-Gun Salute: A common funeral custom for military personnel and police officers, especially Texas Rangers. Logan gets one during his funeral after he is killed by Bolton.
- His Name Is...: After one of the mercenaries scream "Bolton" when another robbery is taking place, he shoots that mercenary stone cold dead. However, Walker and Trivette heard him say his name, upon which they look up his information.
- Parting-Words Regret: The last conversation Keith and Logan had before Bolton killed the latter was an argument.
- Race Against the Clock: Upon finding Clete Gibson's dead body in his home and cutting him down from his noose, Walker and Trivette notice too late said noose is booby-trapped with a bomb. They have approximately 10 seconds to escape his home before it is blasted to smithereens.
- Self-Destruct Mechanism: Bolton and his gang rig up Clete Gibson's noose with one, which will go off the moment someone would be so damn stupid enough to cut it down, at which point the fishing line hidden within said noose will trigger the bomb the moment his corpse drops to the floor.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: After one of the mercenaries scream "Bolton" when another robbery is taking place, Bolton shoots him stone cold dead. However, Walker and Trivette heard him say Bolton's name, upon which they look up his information.
Tropes seen in Part 2:
- Incredibly Obvious Tail: Played with. Walker and Trivette are playing security guards in an armored car they're tempting Bolton and his gang with. Initially it's subverted (in reverse) when the crooks are snickering at the incredibly obvious Rangers pretending to be guards, but in action with the Rangers who are apparently oblivious to the large SUV that's been following them around all day. Quickly reversed when Walker and Trivette secretly switch trucks to one the crooks think it a good target, and Walker asks if the SUV is still following them.
- It's Personal: Dana attempts to go after the people who killed her father at a bar, but is beaten up until Walker finds her and then scolds her for not doing this sort of thing without backup. Walker knew what Dana was up to after Trivette noticed his printer was on.
- Skewed Priorities: This exchange occurs between Walker and Trivette after escaping the explosive trap Bolton set for them at Clete Gibson's house.Walker: Have you completed your background check on all the employees at Sundance and Prevent Security?
Trivette: Wait. One moment. Did we not almost get our butts blown off back over there? Geez!
Walker: Should I take that as a no?
